Demons
by michellemtsu
Summary: First installment of the Hope Springs Eternal series. Mick and Beth investigate a series of disappearances at a famous Los Angeles cematary.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

He walked briskly through the warm fall night. It was a path he'd walked so many times; there was no need to glance left or right. Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery had been mowed recently, he noticed. The smell of freshly cut grass assaulted his vampiric senses, causing him to wrinkle his nose uncomfortably. Fortunately, he wouldn't be here long, just long enough to pay his respects. Dressed appropriately enough in black, he made his way through the crowded cemetery with sure strides. Soon enough, he saw the modest tombstone and let out a sigh. Why did he torture himself year after year? What did he think he was accomplishing? It was a part of his life that he'd let go of long ago, or so he thought.

_You did it for their own good_, he reminded himself. Still, every November he made his way to the large cemetery in North Hollywood to visit the people who had given him life, a life that had been turned into a horror. He glanced down.

_Andrew St. John, Beloved Husband and Father, 1900-1968.  
Madeline St. John, Beloved Wife and Mother, 1905-1978._

_Thank god they never knew_, Mick thought. Part of him wondered which was worse; to know that your only son was a vampire or thinking that he just disappeared from the face of the earth. They'd searched for him after his marriage. When they hadn't heard from him after what was to have been his honeymoon, they searched. They'd hired a private investigator too. Mick chuckled at that thought. In the end, with no leads, Andrew and Maddie gave up. Nevertheless, Maddie never really gave up hope; she just knew her son was out there somewhere. His name was on her lips when she died, Mick was told. His contact at the morgue had quietly placed the call on that unusually cold night nearly thirty years ago. _What else had he said?_, Mick thought. _Oh yeah, that she had died under suspicious circumstances_. However, Mick never really looked into his mother's death. It was just too painful. How the not _knowing_ must have ate at her. _You're too dangerous_, Mick reminded himself for what felt like the millionth time._ There's no way they could have processed that information. They were better off not knowing._

He pulled two long stem roses from his jacket and placed them carefully on top of the simple stone. _It's my birthday_, he thought. _Thanks, Mom and Dad, you gave birth to a monster. That's not true_, he reminded himself. Andrew and Maddie's son wasn't a monster. Coraline's creation was, despite what a certain reporter told him constantly.

_Beth._ Somehow, he knew that she would enter his thoughts. It never failed. As often as he tried a train of thought that had nothing to do with the Buzz Wire reporter, he always came back to her. Would she have come here tonight? Probably. If he'd asked, she'd have come. But Mick hadn't spoken to her in nearly a week. Not since the fire at the warehouse.

Beth would have been interested in his parents. She'd want to know what his childhood had been like. Did he and his father play catch in the front yard? Did they listen to the radio every evening? Where did he go to school? How did the Crash of 1929 affect his family? What was the Depression like? He could answer all those questions, but Mick St. John did not like to dwell on the past. OK, he did. Just not on the loved ones he had been forced to give up. Yet here he was on his 85th birthday leaving roses at his parents' grave. _You're a complicated man, St. John_, he thought.

As he turned away from Andrew and Maddie, another vision struck him. Now the grave in question didn't belong to his parents, but to Beth. He stopped in his tracks, horrified. He reached to his left, finding a nearby oak tree for support. Beth. _She's fine_, he reminded himself. She's not dead. _But she will be eventually_, he thought. It was something that he didn't like to think about. He closed his eyes and saw it again.

_Beth Turner, 1981-2065, Beloved Companion and Friend_

Mick hoped she lived that long. Hanging around him wasn't really conducive to living a long life. But she wouldn't abandon him; he knew that. Not anymore than he could abandon her. Of course there was a way around the whole mortal coil thing, but Mick refused to consider it. Even if she begged him. _Like she had done nearly a week ago_. That had been the drug, of course. Still, Beth had tested his resolve like never before. She'd never know exactly how close she had come. The very thought repulsed him, but then again so did her eventual death. _Enough of this_, he told himself sternly. _We'll cross that bridge when we get to it._

Resolving to call her when he got home, Mick left the cemetery as quickly as he had entered it. As he walked, Mick had the nagging feeling that he was being watched. He glanced around him but saw no one. Shrugging, Mick climbed into his Mercedes and headed for home.

Mick should have trusted his instincts, for he was not alone in Valhalla that night. Soon demons he thought long gone would come back to haunt him.

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Mick entered his apartment and threw his car keys on the desk. Heading for the kitchen, he went to his hideaway refrigerator to get a glass of blood. After taking a sip, he sat down in front of his computer, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He very rarely calls her; she's usually the one contacting him. Or they run into each other at the morgue or a crime scene. But after the disturbing vision at Valhalla, he just wanted to hear her voice.

He knew it was late; maybe she'd be working on a story. Mick hoped that Josh wasn't around. He knew that the DA didn't particularly care for him. The feeling was definitely mutual, especially after the raid on Club Valis.

Mick dialed Beth's number and waited.

"Hello?" she said. She sounded exhausted.

"Hey Beth, it's me."

"Mick, do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked, irritated.

"Two thirty, did I wake you?"

"No, I was getting ready to turn in actually. There's this story I'm working on and I keep getting stonewalled."

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"Not unless you can get the fence pole out of Josh's butt," she quipped.

There was silence on Mick's end of the connection.

"Mick, you still there?" she asked, worried.

"Yeah, I'm here."

Realizing, she said something that made him uncomfortable, she said, "Sorry about that. Frustration talking."

"It's OK. I understand," Mick told her. _Not really_, he thought.

"Was there something you wanted?" Beth queried.

_You_, Mick thought, but quickly suppressed it. Instead, he said, "Not really. I just wanted to check and make sure you were alright."

Beth thought that wasn't the whole truth, but that line of thinking went somewhere her brain wasn't ready to go just yet so she said, "I'm fine, really. What about you?"

"Same old thing. Stopped by Valhalla tonight. Nothing special."

"Valhalla? The cemetery? What were you doing there?" she asked, interested.

"Visiting my parents' grave. Why?"

"No reason," she lied.

"Beth, I know that tone. What's going on?"

"There's been a series of mysterious disappearances. The missing people were last seen at Valhalla," she informed him.

"How many?"

"Five over the last two weeks," she said.

"Anything else suspicious?" Mick asked.

"They were last seen near the Portal of Folded Wings." _That's close to my parents'_, Mick thought. Surely a coincidence. What could a series of current disappearances have to do with his parents? They've both been dead for nearly thirty years.

"Mick?"

"Sorry. What?"

"You zoning out on me? I thought this was a good time of day for vampires," she said.

"Yeah, it is. I'm just distracted is all."

Beth decided to let that one go. She'd delve into the psychology of Mick St. John another time. "Did you see anything unusual at the cemetery?"

"No. But I did get the feeling that I was being watched though. Maybe I should go back and check it out."

"You don't even know what you're looking for. Here, how about this. I'll come over this afternoon and show you what I have. Then we'll go check it out together," Beth suggested innocently.

Mick was afraid she'd say something like that. He knew there was no use arguing with her though. Beth was always determined to get the story for herself; she was pushy that way. It was one of the things he loved about her. It didn't stop him from worrying though.

"OK, we'll do it your way. See you in a bit. Get some rest."

"Yes, Dad."

"Not funny," Mick said.

Beth chuckled. "See you this afternoon." The line went dead.

If Beth was coming over this afternoon, Mick needed to get some rest as well. Who knew what they would find out at Valhalla? He finished checking his email, noting that Josef wanted him to make an appearance soon. Well, that was one other thing he needed to do. Josef did not like to be kept waiting, not even by his best friend.

Switching off his computer, Mick headed upstairs to his freezer. Stripping off his clothes, he tossed them aside and climbed into the refreshing cold of the freezer. Thoughts of Beth writhing against him in the shower followed him in sleep, as they had every night since she had shown up at his place high on Black Crystal.

_To be continued… _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Mick awoke at exactly 3:18 in the afternoon. He knew that because his phone was ringing shrilly from his pants pocket on the floor. _Beth_, he thought. _Crap._ He had hoped to me awake before she arrived. _So much for that idea_. He climbed out of his freezer and answered the ringing phone.

"Beth, I'll be right down."

"OK," she replied.

From outside the apartment, Beth chuckled. _Figures that I woke him_, she thought. No sooner did she think that, then Mick opened the door. Beth gasped at the vision before her. Mick in a pair of blue silk pajama bottoms--and nothing else.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

It took Beth a second to realize he had spoken. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine."

"Were you planning on coming in?" Mick said.

Mick seemed completely oblivious to the affect he was having on Beth. Of course, that was far from the truth. He immediately noticed the hitch in her breathing and the increased rate of her heart. Inwardly, he smiled. While not his intention, he enjoyed the effect his appearance had on her. Mick moved aside to allow her to pass into the apartment. As Beth moved past him, he briefly inhaled her scent. It reminded him of wildflowers on a summer's day. She wore hip-hugging jeans and a green sweater with a somewhat risqué neckline. Little piece of heaven right here on earth. _It's gonna be a long day_, he thought.

Beth sat down on the couch and began to rifle through he bag for the information she had managed to gather so far. She wasn't doing a very good job of it, but it didn't matter. Anything to distract her from Mick.

Noticing her flustered demeanor, Mick said, "Make yourself at home. There's food in the fridge, help yourself."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Is there food? I figured since you tend to show up unexpectedly that it's better to be prepared," he replied.

"Oh, right. Thanks."

"I'm just going to take a quick shower and be right down."

"OK." _Great, he just had to say that, didn't he?_ she thought, as Mick made his way upstairs.

_Get a grip in yourself, Beth_, she admonished herself. _You love Josh. It's fate, remember? So what if Mick has saved you twice, makes you feel safer than you ever have and happens to look like a Greek god._ She tried to remember all the things she loved about Josh, but they wouldn't come. _OK, new tack. The story, think about that_. Finally, that did the trick. Beth managed to brew herself some coffee and make a ham sandwich without thinking about Mick in the shower. Naked. _Oops_. Well, she almost made it.

Twenty minutes later, Mick came back downstairs, dressed in his usual jeans and form fitting shirt, to find Beth examining the books in the honeycomb-like bookshelf.

"See anything interesting?"

Beth jumped. _How does he do that?_ she thought for the hundredth time. Steadying herself, she said, "Aviation. I had no idea you were interested in planes."

"I'm not. They were my father's. He was a pilot in World War I. Had to lie about his age to enlist; he loved planes. Read everything he could find on them, even after he was mustered out."

"Isn't the Portal of Folded Wings in Valhalla dedicated to aviators?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is. Maybe aviation is the link you were looking for. Let's look at what you brought."

While Mick went to get a glass of blood, Beth sat down in the couch and pulled out a manila folder. She handed it to Mick. He flipped through it, sipping his blood, brow furrowing.

_Eric Anderson, 65, accountant.  
Walter Philips, 73, retired mechanic.  
George O'Keefe, 70, retired cop  
Anthony Moretti, 68, engineer  
Ingrid Lawson, 45, USC history professor_

_  
_  
"It says here that Philips and Lawson were father and daughter," Mick said, puzzled.

"Yeah. There doesn't seem to be any connection other than that."

But those last names sounded familiar to Mick, he just couldn't figure out why. He knew it would come to him eventually. Hopefully, that would happen before any more innocents disappeared.

"You thinking vampires?" Beth asked.

"You have vampires on the brain. It could just be your ordinary aviation loving thugs."

Beth quirked an eyebrow at him.

"OK, maybe not. Either way, we won't know anything until we check it out."

"To Valhalla, then?"

"Let's go."

_To be continued… _


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Mick and Beth rode to Valhalla mostly in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Mick hated cemeteries. They reminded him of his own mortality, ironically enough. He knew all too well that is was quite easy to kill a vampire if you knew how. A well-placed chop or a roaring fire would be his end. He accepted that. Until then though, he would do what he could to keep humanity from destroying itself in his corner of the world.

Beth, however, was not thinking such morbid thoughts. She was all too aware of Mick sitting next to her, both hands casually gripping the steering wheel of the Mercedes. _He tries so hard to maintain his humanity_, she thought. She admired that about him. He understood her in a way that no one else had quite been able to. Josh tried, of course, but there are some experiences that can't be explained. They must be lived. Mick just got her, and that was that.

Poor Josh. Beth knew she wasn't being fair to him. It wasn't Josh's fault she was being distant and moody with him. He had a right to feel jealous of her time with Mick. No one really likes to share; humans are selfish that way. However, if Beth were being honest with herself, she knew that things with Josh hadn't been right for a while. Even before she met Mick. It was like they were in some sort of weird time loop. The same routine over and over, day after day. They used to do things together, but that was months ago. At first, Beth attributed this to the stress of their respective careers, but that wasn't the case. They had been just as busy when they met in that parking lot. So what was it? _Being with Josh is the safe course,_ she realized. He was steady and reliable. And it was stifling her. Mick forced her out of her comfort zone and for the first time Beth felt free as well as safe. _What does that mean?  
_  
Beth's reverie was broken by their arrival at Valhalla. They got out of the convertible and made their way to the gate. Beth went to pull out her flashlight; Mick swatted her hand away.

"The moon's bright enough; you don't need that. Just stay close to me," he told her.

Beth did as he asked. Together they made their way along the path to the aviation shrine.

"Let's have a look around these tombstones. Don't wander too far," Mick said.

"OK," Beth said, in a slightly sarcastic voice.

They headed in opposite directions. Mick noticed that the dirt around Amelia Earhart's memorial was disturbed. He moved closer and sniffed the air. His vision was filled with the scuffle that occurred there. _A portly old man was digging at the base. A vampire, young looking but in reality older than Mick, pounced on the man from behind. The spade went flying as the vampire tore the man's throat out. "Where is it?" he growled, "what did you do with it?" The vampire never got an answer; the old man was dead.  
_  
Mick looked up. "Beth," he called.

"What is it?"

"You were right. It was a vampire," Mick informed her. "He was looking for something. Thought it was buried here." Mick indicated the ground at the base of the memorial. There was nothing there. What was the vamp looking for? Where was the body? _Well, that one shouldn't be too hard to figure out_, Mick thought. As Beth examined the ground at Mick's feet, he got out his phone.

"Cleaner, Name and location, please," a female voice answered.

"It's Mick St. John."

"I know _you_ don't need my services. What's up?"

"You get called to Valhalla Cemetery in the last two weeks?" Mick asked.

"Yeah."

"You get the vamp's name?"

"You know I did. Not another turnie, is it?"

"No. But I've got one known corpse that you disposed of and four other possibles."

"Four?! I've only been there once," the Cleaner exclaimed.

"You wanna give me the name so I can catch this guy?"

The Cleaner sighed. "You owe me big time, St. John. Robert Ernst."

Mick froze. "Robert Ernst, you sure?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"The Robert Ernst I know is dead." He hung up.  
_  
What on earth is going on?_ Mick asked himself.  
_  
To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Beth noticed the confounded look on Mick's face; she grew apprehensive.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Something that's impossible," he replied.

"Mick, if there's one thing I've learned since I met you, it's that nothing is impossible," Beth assured him.

"According to the Cleaner, only one body has been removed from here. And if who she says is responsible actually is then someone has some explaining to do."

Beth was puzzled by that cryptic remark. "Who?"

"I'm not sure yet." _But I have an idea who might,_ he thought.

"Didn't you say that your parents' were around here?" Beth asked.

Mick was thankful for the change in subject; images of his father telling war stories were playing in his head. He nodded at Beth.

"Would you show me?" she asked gently.

Mick nodded again and turned back toward the gate. Beth followed close behind. A few rows down Mick made an abrupt right turn nearly running into the oak tree he had used to steady himself the night before. Just beyond it, he saw the modest stone. The roses he had left were gone. He stopped in front of it. Mick saw Beth come up behind up and keel down in front of the grave. She read the inscriptions with a solemn look on her face.

As Beth gazed at the stone, a thousand questions flashed in her head, things she'd always wanted to know but never asked. Now was the perfect time. However, as she turned to stand next to Mick, she knew she couldn't. Mick would tell her all those things in good time. She wasn't going anywhere. Instead of firing questions at him, Beth simply took his hand and squeezed.

Surprised, Mick squeezed back. He thought for sure Beth would bombard him with questions, that her inquisitive nature would get the better of her. Not in his wildest dreams, did Mick think she would simply stand there holding his hand with a look of understanding on her beautiful face.

He never loved her more than in that moment. He knew then that he could, and would, tell her everything when the time was right. She would understand. All that would have to wait though. They had a vampire to catch. There was one thing he needed to check first and for that, he needed Josef.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah."

They rode back to Mick's apartment in companionable silence. As he dropped her off at her car, Mick asked, "Can you tap into the Army Air Corps records from World War I."

"I think so. Who am I looking for?" she asked.

"Robert Ernst."

"And he is?"

"My dad's best friend from the war. Ernst was shot down over France in March of 1918. They never found his body."

"Does this have to do with the phone call from earlier?"

"It has everything to do with that."

"OK, I'm on it," she assured him. Beth climbed into her car and headed for the office.

Mick, meanwhile, had to visit a certain 400-year-old vampire. He pulled into Josef's building and parked. He made his way to the special elevator that Josef had installed at the entrance to the garage. Mick got off on the Penthouse floor and went looking for Josef. Mick found him sitting behind his large desk, yelling at someone on his Blackberry.

"Just _get it done_, alright. Before I have to come over there and rip your spine out!"

"Problem?" Mick asked.

"Nothing I can't handle. Wouldn't want you to compromise those scruples of yours. What brings you here at this time of night? Isn't it a little early for the superhero act?" Josef asked.

"Cleaner gave me a name. I was wondering if you might know it," Mick replied, ignoring Josef's dig.

"Try me."

"Robert Ernst."

"What's the son of a bitch done now?" Josef asked.

Mick was taken aback. "Wait. You know him?"

"_Know him?_ Bastard owes me 500 g's!"

"How'd he manage to wrangle that kind of money from you?"

"Said he had an artifact that would make collectors everywhere to go gaga. He just needed a loan to go fetch it," Josef explained, lamely.

"500 grand to play fetch?"

"I know, I know. I'm getting generous in my old age. Can we get to your point?"

"What'd he have to do? Break into a government facility or something?" Mick asked.

"Don't know. Didn't ask."

"You're loosing your touch, my friend. How long have you known Ernst?"

"Since 1918. Why?"

"Because he happens to be the prime suspect in my missing person's case," Mick informed him.

"Robert was shot down over the chateau that I was staying in during the Great War in France. Good times. All that bloodshed does a vampire good," said Josef, nostalgically.

"Did he have a tattoo of an eagle on his calf?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"My father's best friend in the Army was named Robert Ernst. He had a tattoo of an eagle on his calf. He was famous for it in their unit."

Josef let out a low whistle. "So you're telling me that your old man's buddy and this vampire is the same person?"

"Looks like. How did Ernst get turned?"

Josef hesitated. Then he said, "Lola brought him in with her one day. I assumed she turned him; practically parachuted into her lap, she said."

Mick knew that talking about Lola was still difficult for Josef; the wound was still raw. Josef's snark said one thing; his eyes told a different story. Mick changed his tack.

"So Ernst got 500 grand from you to fetch this artifact. What was it?"

"He said it was the headgear of the Red Baron."

"Seriously?" Mick asked in disbelief.

"Hey, don't knock it. That's an important historical artifact! It'll fetch millions on the black market! Besides, I actually met the man himself."

"You knew the Red Baron? How come I never knew any of this?"

"Simple. You never asked," Josef told him matter-of-factly.

Mick contemplated that. He realized Josef was right. There was so much he didn't know about his friend. That was a conversation for another time.

"Thanks, Josef."

"Just get the bastard, alright? And my 500 grand, if possible?"

"I'll do my best," Mick said.

"Damn right you will."

_To be continued…_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The Buzz Wire offices were quiet except for the tapping of a single keyboard. Beth sat in front of her computer, scrolling through the seemingly endless lists of World War I pilots. _How many could there be? _she thought tiredly. _Planes had only been in existence for fifteen years!_ Nevertheless, she kept looking.

Beth wasn't sure she'd be able to search for Robert Ernst at first. Old Army personnel records were kept in St. Louis. While the database was online, one had to be next of kin in order to search it. However, in the electronic age, almost every self-respecting investigative reporter could hack into a government-run website, or so Steve had always told her. Once in, it became merely a matter of time until she found him.

"Ah, there you are," Beth said in relief.

"There who is?" came a voice from behind her.

Beth knew that voice. Josh. "No one," she said.

"Obviously, it's someone, or you wouldn't be here in the middle of the night looking for him," Josh observed.

Beth sighed. She really didn't have time to argue semantics with him; she needed to call Mick and let him know that she found the mysterious Mr. Ernst.

"Look, Josh, I --" she began.

Josh cut her off. "Are you still working on that Valhalla missing person's case?"

"Yes."

"I asked you not to."

"Yes, you did. _Again_," Beth said, exasperated. "It's my _job_, Josh. What am I supposed to do? Cover Britney Spears' latest accident?"

"It's dangerous. The cops found one of the missing people floating in the harbor. All of their blood had been drained."  
_  
That's two corpses now_, Beth thought.

"I still don't see how that gives you the right to ask me not to pursue a story," Beth said.

Josh glanced down at the monitor. "Robert Ernst? Who's that?"

"A lead. Mick asked me to check him out," she said without thinking.

The look on Josh's face told she'd said the wrong thing. "Oh, _Mick asked_," he said, his voice laden with venom. "He asks you to jump through hoops and you don't bat an eye. I ask you to do a simple thing---"

"Now wait a second," Beth said. She was becoming angry now. "The difference between you and Mick is you're asking me to _not do my job!_ Getting people the truth is important! Don't you understand that?" Beth conveniently forgot that Mick's entrusting her with the knowledge that he was a vampire caused her to not do her job all time. Still, she wasn't going to let Josh stand there and insult Mick.

"Fine, do whatever you want."

"No," Beth said. She took a deep breath. "I'm tired of you passive aggressive BS. If you have a problem with me, say so. Leave Mick out of it. Yell! Do something to show me that this relationship is worth saving."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't do this anymore, Josh. If you want me to pick between you and Mick, then I'm sorry, you really haven't given me a good reason to choose you." _Neither has Mick_, she reminded herself. Beth didn't know how Mick felt about her, but she had a pretty good idea.

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Yes, you are. Every time you make a big deal about me working with Mick."

"I don't trust him. There's something off about him," Josh said somewhat lamely.  
_  
You have no idea_, Beth thought. "Well, I do trust him. The real question is do you trust me?"

Josh thought about that for a long minute. He wasn't blind. He saw the writing on the wall. He said, "I used to. But ever since you started hanging out with Mick…," his voice trailed off.

"Well, I guess I have my answer."

"Is this really happening?" Josh asked helplessly.

Beth sighed and looked at him sorrowfully. "Yeah. I never meant to hurt you, Josh. Believe me."

"I know." He turned towards the stairwell.

Beth called after him, "He's a good man, Josh. So are you."

Josh smiled ruefully and left. Beth sat back down at her computer and felt an overwhelming sense of relief mixed with sadness. It was true--she never intended to hurt Josh-- but at the same time she didn't feel nearly as bad as she thought she should. Did that make her a horrible person? _No_, she decided. Better to break his heart now before either said or did something they would regret later.

Mick stepped quietly into the newsroom. He had heard the entire conversation from the stairwell. _A good man,_ Beth had called him. That was how she saw him. She told him that on many occasions, of course, but he had never believed her. But to hear her say it to someone else, Josh of all people…that was something.

Mick cleared his throat. Beth looked at him and smiled. "Hi," she said.

"Hey." Beth didn't know that Mick had overheard her conversation with Josh and Mick didn't offer. Beth thought it would be better to continue on as if nothing had happened, at least for now. But she had a feeling that a heart-to-heart with Mick was coming sooner rather than later. Right now, they had a vampire to catch.

"Did you manage to find Ernst in the records?" Mick asked.

"I sure did."

Mick looked down at the screen. As he scanned that list of names above and below Ernst, Mick realized why the missing persons' last names seemed so familiar. They were the same ones that were in his father's air squadron.

_To be continued…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

So that was the connection they had been missing. His father's squadron. Who would have thought to look in to the deceased--_no, wait, missing persons_--parents' backgrounds? Not anyone Mick knew. But nothing was normal in his world.

Beth noticed the look of recognition on Mick's face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I think I figured out the connection between the missing people."

"What is it?"

"They're related to members of my father's squadron. See? Paul Johnson, Henry Philips, James O'Keefe, Giorgio Moretti," said Mick as he pointed to each one.

"So Ernst was in your dad's squadron? Wait, he'd be dead by now though, right? Didn't you say he'd been shot down?" Beth was getting more confused by the second. She got frustrated when she didn't put the pieces together fast enough.

"Shot down doesn't necessarily equal dead."

"But he'd be well over a hundred by now." Beth paused. "Unless he's…"

"A vampire."

"Yeah."

"Oh boy. Cases are never simple with you, are they?" Beth asked, half jokingly.

"Nope. Sorry."

Beth chuckled softly. "So what does he want? How do we even find him?"

"I have no idea."

"Some help you are. Didn't your dad ever tell you anything interesting about this Ernst guy?"

Mick looked at her seriously. "Big drinker. Loved poker. Deflowered many a French peasant girl. Stuff like that?"

"OK. Anything that would be relevant to this investigation?" Beth asked, exasperated.

"He horded historical artifacts. Spent ninety percent of his free time scouring the countryside for anything of historical value."

"Finally! It took you ten minutes to tell me that because…"

"You're cute when you're frustrated," Mick blurted. He hadn't meant to say it; it just slipped out.

Beth looked askance at him and decided to let the comment pass. Now was definitely not the time for that conversation. Instead, she said, "Well it seems obvious to me that this guy is looking for some historical artifact and he seems to think that his old squadron mates have it. Any idea what it could be?"

Mick, of course, knew exactly what it was. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"But you do know?"

"Yeah, Josef told me. He loaned Ernst 500 grand to track it down."

"He did what?"

"That's pretty much what I said too. Come on, we need to go back to my place."

"How come?" Beth asked.

"To look through my dad's old books." Mick turned and headed for the stairwell.

Beth quickly gathered her things and turned off her computer. Once done, she followed Mick out to his car. She noticed that he had parked in the exact same spot where she had kissed him. _Coincidence? _Beth thought. _It has to be. Maybe it was the only spot open when he got here. Yeah, that's it._ Cursing herself for becoming obsessed with parking spaces of all things, she asked Mick again about the artifact Ernst was looking for.

"According to Josef, it's the headgear of the Red Baron."

"The famous German flying ace?"

"The very same. Apparently, Josef knew the good Baron back in the day."

"Boy, Josef really gets around, doesn't he?"

Mick laughed. "He does indeed."

Fifteen minutes later, Mick pulled into his parking garage. They headed into the apartment, Beth making her way to the couch and Mick making a beeline for the bookshelf. He handed Beth a stack to begin searching. Mick took his stack over to the armchair and settled in. "I know it's late, but I think it's important to figure out where the headgear is before Ernst does. That said it's ok if you fall asleep. You're not Supergirl, Beth."

"I'm fine," said Beth as she stifled a yawn.

"If you say so."

Nearly two hours later, Beth was fast asleep. The book she was searching through had fallen across her chest and was perilously close to falling on the floor. Mick glanced at her sleeping form occasionally and smiled indulgently. Beth rolled on her side; the book went clattering to the floor. She woke with a start. Bending to retrieve her book, Beth said, "Could you explain to me again why were going through books on aviation that are at least fifty years old?"

"The only member of the squadron who has no living descendants in my dad. If the others knew where the headgear was Ernst would have it by now. Since the books are the only possession of my dad's that I have, it's our best shot at finding out where the headgear is before Ernst does," Mick told her patiently.

"If your dad knew where it was to begin with.""Exactly."

"Sounds like a pretty slim shot to me."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Not really."

"Then keep looking. If you see any reference to the Red Baron, yell."

Beth went back to her search, re-energized by her nap. Nearly forty-five minutes later, Beth said, "Mick, I think I found something."

"What's it say?"

"There's an entry here on the Red Baron but right next to it someone wrote 'wrong.'"

"Let me see."

Beth handed him the book. Sure enough, along the side of the right page someone had written WRONG in big red letters.

"This is my dad's handwriting," Mick said.

"You sure?"

"The man corrected my homework for twelve years. I think I remember."

"Oh, right. Sorry," Beth said, embarrassed.

One paragraph from the article was circled. It talked about the recovery of the Baron's body and plane. Just outside the circle, Andrew had written "Ernst." _What does that mean?_ Mick thought.

Beth moved behind Mick's chair and began to read over his shoulder. "Mick, it says here that the Red Baron was shot down in April 1918. Wasn't Ernst shot down in March?"

"Yeah…"

"So how could he be involved with the Baron? And why did your dad think he did?"

Mick turned and looked at Beth, asking himself the same question. They locked eyes.

Beth broke the silence first. "You don't suppose your dad knew about vampires, do you?"

_To be continued…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"No way," Mick said. He shook his head as if to clear it. The idea that his staid, normal father knew about vampires was laughable. It just didn't make sense. Then again, there wasn't much about this case that did.

Beth said, "Well, this might be my limited experience talking, but what other explanation could there be? Ernst was shot down and presumed dead almost a full month before the Red Baron."

"He could have been captured by the Germans," Mick offered hopefully.

"Didn't Josef say that Lola just brought Ernst in one day?"

"Yeah."

"OK, scenario. Ernst gets shot down. He makes it to the ground, near death. Enter Lola, who turns him for reasons of her own. Maybe she wanted a new boy toy, whatever. It says here that the shot that killed the Baron came from the ground. Maybe Ernst fired that shot from the ground."

"Two questions: Why would Ernst want to shoot down the Baron? And why would Ernst shoot him? Vampire, remember?" Mick queried.

Beth looked thoughtful. Then her face lit up with realization. "Aren't you always going on about the need for vampire security? If a famous German war hero shows up with his throat torn out, people are gonna wonder why."

"But that still doesn't explain--"

"I've got it. Maybe the Baron was the one who shot Ernst down in the first place! Maybe it was revenge!" Beth said excitedly.

"Then Ernst would have an opportunity to get his piece of history. OK, that makes sense in a nonsensical kind of way." Beth rolled her eyes at him. She kept thumbing through the old book, as if expecting it to reveal another clue. An envelope fell out of the book. Beth picked it up, examined the front and handed it to Mick.

"It's addressed to you," she said simply.

Mick looked from the envelope to Beth and back again, quirking an eyebrow as he did. He took the envelope from Beth's outstretched hand and read "To Mick" in an elegant feminine hand. Mick tore open the envelope and pulled the letter out.

_My Dearest Mick,_

If you're reading this letter then your father's worst fear has come to pass. Robert Ernst has returned and it searching for the artifact that your father stole from him so long ago. It lies at the base of the Portal. Be careful, my dear, you are not as invincible as you think.

My love always

It was his mother's handwriting. _How did they know?_ Mick wondered again. He read the short missive over several more times in the hopes of finding an answer but found none. Dumbfounded, he handed the letter to Beth. She read it excitedly, as she finished her face fell.

"Who's it from?" she asked, seemingly offhanded.

Did he detect a hint of jealousy in her voice? "My mother," he told her.

A look of relief washed over her. "Oh. So what does she mean by 'it lies at the base of the Portal'?"

"The headgear, probably."

"But how did your dad steal it from Ernst? How did Ernst get it in the first place?"

"All good questions to which I haven't the faintest idea."

Beth looked thoughtful. "Mick," she said haltingly, "if your dad knew about vampires, do you think it's possible they knew about you too?"

"That's the question I've been asking myself for the last ten minutes. I honestly don't know. I know I never told them. I was so ashamed of what I had become that I avoided anyone I had known while I was human." Mick looked at Beth shyly. "I didn't want then to see me that way."

"What way is that?"

"As a monster." He turned his eyes back to the floor.

"You are _not _a monster," Beth said emphatically. "And, judging by this letter your mother didn't think you were either."

Mick looked up at her. He saw love, understanding and acceptance in her eyes. Once again, he said a silent thank you for having this wonderful woman in his life. He resolved to do everything in his power to keep her there.

The moment was broken when Mick's phone rang. It was Josef.

"Yes, Josef?"

"Did you find him yet?

"Not yet but I have a lead."

"Are you gonna take care of it?"

"Don't I always?"

"Josef chuckled. "Yes, you do. Good hunting, my friend."

_To be continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Mick and Beth drove to Valhalla for the second time in as many days. Like the first, it was conducted in silence. Mick's thoughts were still very much with the letter from his mother that Beth had found. _How could she have known? _Mick never took Coraline to meet his parents. There just wasn't time; that whole period was such a whirlwind. Mick had called to tell them he was getting married and planned to bring home his new bride home after their honeymoon. That plan, of course, went out the window when Coraline sired him.

If his parents did find out about his vampirism, Mick was sure that Ernst was behind it. How Ernst had found out was anybody's guess. A horrifying thought struck Mick. Did Ernst have something to do with his mother's death? The coroner had said the circumstances were suspicious. Why hadn't he looked into it sooner? If that was true then Ernst was going to get that much deader. Comforted by that thought, Mick concentrated his attention on the road. He never noticed the black Impala following him three cars back. They pulled into the cemetery a few minutes later.

"It would be a waste of breath to ask you to stay in the car, wouldn't it?" Mick asked.

Beth looked at him with a look that said "you have got to be kidding me." "Pretty much," she replied.

"That's what I figured."

Beth reached into the backseat and pulled out a large shovel. Climbing out the car, she slung it over her shoulder and started towards the cemetery path, leaving Mick in her wake. Mick caught up with her a heartbeat later.

"You know," he said, "that would have been much more impressive if I wasn't a vampire."

Beth sighed. "You can't let me have any fun, can you?"

"This is fun."

"OK, fine. You win. Lead on."

They continued through the cemetery in silence, Mick listening intently for any signs that they weren't alone.

"Here we are," Mick said as they approached the Portal.

"Have I mentioned that this is one of the ugliest monuments I have ever seen?" Beth asked.

"I don't think you did."

"Well, it is. Where do you think we should start digging?"

Mick searched the surrounding ground, looking for signs of disturbed earth. He didn't really see any; however, he did notice a depression in the earth on the right side of the base. 

"There." He pointed. Beth handed him the shovel. "Why me?"

"You're the one with the super strength."

"Why does the guy always have to do the digging?"

"Why does the girl always have to stay in the car?" Beth countered.

"Touché." Mick took the shovel. "Just be on the lookout for anything suspicious."

"OK."

Mick began digging; the ground was slightly soft from recent rains and gave easily. After a dozen or so scoops, the shovel struck something metallic.

"There's definitely something here." After clearing away some of the surrounding dirt, Mick got down on his hands and knees to pull out what appeared to be a metal box from the hole.

"Thanks for doing my digging for me," came a nasal sounding voice from behind him. "Saves me the trouble of getting my new threads all mussed."

Mick was up in flash. Shoving the box in to Beth's hands, Mick instinctively placed himself between her and the young man in front of him. The man looked young, around twenty or so. Mick wasn't fooled; he could smell the vampire from where he stood. The man wore an expensive looking brown suit. He looked dapper.

"Now, now, let's have none of that. There's really no need for violence. Just hand me the box and I'll be on my way."

"Do you seriously think that's going to happen?"

The man sighed. "Not really. But I thought it was worth a try."

"What's in the box?" Mick asked, even though he already knew.

"I think you've already figured that out, detective."

"The headgear of the Red Baron."

"The very same headgear that I took from his cold, dead body eighty-nine years ago," said the man that could only be Robert Ernst.

"How'd you loose it?"

"Ah, that's where the story gets interesting, Mr. St. John." At the look of surprise on Mick face, Ernst continued, "Yes, I know you're Andy's boy _and_ that you're a vampire."

"How do you know that?"

"All in good time. The answer to your first question is simple. I lost it in a game of poker."

"A game of poker?"

"Is there an echo? Yes, poker. With Andy, no less. You see, he discovered me in a Parisian pub just after the armistice. He was quite shocked to see me, of course. I was presumed dead, after all. However, I fed him a story of harrowing capture and escape from the Germans. He then challenged me to a game of poker, for old time's sake."

"Are you always this pretentious?" Mick interrupted.

Ernst glared at Mick. "As I was saying, we played poker. Having run out of francs, I wagered the only thing I had on me of any value."

"The headgear."

"Precisely. However, one royal flush later, it was gone. I went in search of Andy in the days following but he had already been shipped back stateside."

It couldn't be that simple; there had to be a catch. "So why are you just coming back for the headgear now? What took you so long?"

"Wanderlust, mostly. I never like to stay in one place too long. Every once in a while I would get the urge to search for your dad but that proved to be nearly impossible due to my limited resources."

Another piece clicked in Mick's head. "That's why you went to Josef. To get funds to search."

"Right again. Technology nowadays is expensive. I told Josef some sob story, commiserating about Lola. He couldn't give me the money fast enough."

_Of course, Lola. Josef's weak spot. _Someone who had been sired by Lola would have no problem invoking her memory to get what he wanted, especially if that mark stood to gain from such a transaction.

"But that doesn't explain why you went after the others," Beth interjected.

"Ah, she is a quick one!" Ernst looked from Beth to Mick. "I can see why you like her. You see, my dear, Andy was not alone that night of our little poker game. Our squadron mates were there as well. I thought that if Andy had told anyone about where my headgear was it would be one of them."

"And they would tell their children," Beth finished.

"Exactly."

"They didn't know anything, did they?" said Beth.

"They were most decidedly unhelpful. I disposed of them. You, on the other hand, have been quite helpful."

Mick had only the barest of warnings. As Ernst lunged at him, Mick managed to shove Beth to the ground. Unfortunately doing that forced Mick to turn his back on his attacker. Ernst's lunge drove Mick to the ground and threw the loose dirt into his face. Momentarily blinded, Mick tried to roll to the right but Ernst had him pinned. Calling on his reserves of strength, Mick's eyes turned white, his fangs descended and he let loose an unholy growl. Mick shoved his right elbow back into Ernst's chest, causing the vampire to loosen his hold on him. Mick used the reprieve to drag himself to a standing position.

Ernst rose, snarling and baring his own fangs. He wasted no time, throwing a right cross at Mick's head. Mick managed to duck and aimed his fist at Ernst's stomach. The older vampire doubled over and Mick brought his knee up towards Ernst's head. He connected with a dull crack. Ernst fell back hitting his head on a large headstone.

Beth watched the two vampires tussle with wide eyes. There was something graceful in the way they moved. Time seemed to slow don as Beth watched each punch and kick hit home. Then Beth's heart leapt into her throat when Mick turned to see if she was all right. She didn't have time for his injuries to register; she shouted, "Look out!"

She was too late. Seemingly unfazed by the blow to the head, Ernst leapt at Mick, causing them to go tumbling past Beth down a row of graves. They grappled fiercely, each trying to get the upper hand. It was no use; they were too evenly matched. Beth looked around frantically for something, anything. Then she saw it. The shovel. Pushing herself up, she ran towards the overturned earth and wrenched the shovel out of it.

"Mick," Beth called.

Mick was pinned under Ernst, trying desperately to throw him off. He turned his head and saw Beth running towards him with the shovel. Mick attempted to ward her off; it was too dangerous for her. Somehow, she got the message and stopped. Instead, she threw the heavy shovel with all her strength. It landed a couple of feet away from Mick. Part of the wooden handle shattered against a granite headstone. Mick reached for the shard but it was a few inches too far. He head butted Ernst and got enough space to reach out and grab the makeshift stake. Mick shoved it directly into Ernst's heart, paralyzing him. Ernst's momentum carried his body onto his back. Mick got up, picked up the shovel and stood over Ernst's head. With all of his remaining strength, Mick shoved the blunt shovel through Ernst's neck, severing his head from his body. Beth ran over to Mick as he stumbled from the force of the shovel blade coming into contact with the ground.

"I'm fine," Mick said, his breathing heavy.

"That was one of the most amazing things I've seen in my entire life. Are you sure you're OK?" she asked, placing a hand on his chest.

"Yes. I'm fine. This is nothing." He was still breathing heavy, but his minor cuts and scratches were already healing. "A glass of blood and a few hours in my freezer is all I need. I'll be good as new."

"Freezer?" Beth asked.

"I'll explain later. Go back and fetch that box. I'll take care of this."

Reluctantly, Beth did as he asked. Mick checked all of Ernst's pockets and found both his car keys and another set that appeared to be from a safe deposit box. Beth returned carrying the box.

"Let's get you home," she said. Pocketing the keys, Mick led the way back to his car. As they walked, he left a page for the Cleaner to pick Ernst's body, preferably before the cops showed up.

"Do you want me to drive?" Beth asked, as they reached the Mercedes.

"No, I got it."

"Are you saying that because you're fine or because you don't want me driving your car?"

"Both."

"Well, if we run off the road, don't say I didn't offer," said Beth as she climbed in the passenger side.

Mick smiled at her. It was one of those impish, shy smiles that she loved so much. She knew then that whatever the world had to throw at them she and Mick would face it together and defeat it.

_Epilogue to come…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Epilogue**

"Aviation buffs the world over are clamoring to get to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington to examine what may be one of the most important finds of the aviation age. The museum has acquired the headgear if the infamous Red Baron from an anonymous Los Angeles donor. The Smithsonian believes this prized artifact was unearthed in a Los Angeles cemetery. Reports of that cemetery being Valhalla are unconfirmed. As are reports of a link between the discovery and the five missing people last seen at Valhalla. Police still have no leads in that case. This is Beth Turner for Buzz Wire."

Mick turned off his computer following Beth's report. Beth had called earlier to let him know that she had gotten clearance to air her story and to remind him that she'd be over after work. With that in mind, he headed for the shower to get cleaned up before she arrived. He finished showering, dried off, and got dressed in jeans and his favorite gray sweater. Mick headed back downstairs just in time for Beth's knock. Mick opened the door and stood aside for her to enter the apartment. As she passed him, Beth leaned up and kissed him hello.

"I see the Smithsonian got our package. An anonymous donor?" he asked playfully.

"What was I supposed to say 'vampire rewrites history of the Great War'?" Beth countered

"Who needs fiction when the truth is so much more interesting?"

"That's what I keep trying to tell you." Beth rolled her eyes. "The Smithsonian sent me a package today." She settled down on the couch; Mick took his now-customary place at her side.

"A package? What kind of package?"

"Apparently, the headgear wasn't the only thing in that box." Beth handed him a yellowed envelope. There was no address or any other type of demarcation. Curious, Mick slid his finger underneath the seal, which gave easily. An old photo fell out into his lap. He picked it up carefully. The picture showed Andrew and his buddies in what could only be a Parisian pub. But there was a large person sized hole between Andrew and Moretti. _Ernst,_ Mick thought. _This must be the poker game._ As a vampire, Ernst didn't appear in the pre-digital photograph. This must be how Dad knew Ernst was a vampire. Mick could picture his father buried under a pile of books, looking for some reason that his friend wasn't in the picture.

"Mick," Beth said quietly.

He looked at her. She handed him another photo; it had fallen on the floor. This one made him gasp. It was his wedding photo, one he had never seen. It was disconcerting because Mick was the only one in the picture. His arms were wrapped around an invisible person. On the back of the photo, Maddie had written _Mick and Coraline, May 25, 1952_. They knew. His parents had known all along what Coraline had done to him. That knowledge felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The guilt he'd always carried about them was gone.

Beth leaned in to examine the photograph. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Yeah."

"That's good, right? I mean, at least they didn't think you just dropped off the face of the planet. Or that you hated them."

"I never hated them."

Beth laid her hand on Mick's knee. "I know. Look, let's get rid of these." She reached for the pictures in Mick's right hand.

"Wait. I want to keep this one." Beth looked down; Mick's fingers were curled tightly around the poker photo.

"Why?"

"Because I don't have any photos of my dad." He paused. "And because I want to remember this case," he said with a knowing look.

Beth understood. It was because this case was the first step of their journey together. She could appreciate that. Beth walked over to the kitchen and got Mick's lighter out of the drawer. She took the wedding photo and set it on fire. Mick found her eyes from across the room.

"We can replace that one, you know," Mick said as he moved towards his desk.

"How?" Beth asked. _Why_, she thought.

"With this." Mick pulled his digital camera out of his desk. Then Beth understood. Mick wanted a picture of them together. As they huddled together on the couch waiting for the shutter to snap, they were both thinking the same thing. _This one will last.  
_  
FINIS


End file.
